Volleyball Signs Standout Setter Kanani Hiapo
Reviewed by Zachary Shaver on
Feb 15.
The Roughrider Volleyball team has announced the signing of Kanani (Nani) Hiapo to a National Letter of Intent for 2017. Kanani is a 5'6" setter from Gilbert, AThe Roughrider Volleyball team has announced the signing of Kanani (Nani) Hiapo to a National Letter of Intent for 2017. Kanani is a 5'6" setter from Gilbert, A
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Volleyball Signs Standout Setter Kanani Hiapo

The Roughrider Volleyball team has announced the signing of Kanani (Nani) Hiapo to a National Letter of Intent for 2017. Kanani is a 5’6″ setter from Gilbert, AZ. She is an accomplished setter who has started for Molten Volleyball Club where she was coached by her mother Vanese Hiapo, Camp Verde High School and Highland High School where she was coached by her father Brian Hiapo earning 4 Varsity Letters.

Hiapo has also trained with USA Volleyball for 4 years. In 2013 she was a member of the Arizona High Performance Select National Team that competed in Des Moines, IA. The following year (2014) she was the starting setter for the Arizona High Performance Youth International Team which competed in Oklahoma City, OK. During the tournament Kanani led the team to a win over the team representing the Dominican Republic which eventually went on to become tournament champions. In 2015 Kanani moved up from Arizona to the USA High Performance Youth National Training Team which practiced at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. She moved from the A2 teams (24 setters) up to the A1 teams (6 setters), then moved up again to the Youth National Team which only had 2 setters. Last year (2016) she was invited back to the USA High Performance Youth National Training Team which competed in Las Vegas, NV as one of the top 14 setters in the USA Youth National Program. She is pictured at left with some of her USA High Performance teammates.

Other high school volleyball honors for Kanani include being a 2 year varsity captain and All-Region 1st team. Academically she is an Honors and AP student who has also won Student Athlete of the Week Honors. With Molten VBC her teams have finished 9th at the AAU National Championships (U15), 15th overall at AAU National Championships (U17), and 1st at the Idaho Classic Championships for 3 consecutive years.

Kanani plans to major in Biology (Pre-Med) and she wants to become a pediatric surgeon.

In commenting on the signing of Kanani Hiapo Head Coach Zach Shaver said “I am incredibly pleased that she has chosen to join our Roughrider Volleyball program! Her experience and training will allow her to transition to the collegiate game seamlessly and I expect her to help lead our offense to a higher level of efficiency. When I watch her play I feel as if I am watching a junior in college rather than a high school senior, her consistency and decision making are extremely advanced for her age!”

Kanani joins fellow 2017 freshman Nynke de Vries (OH) from the Netherlands, Audrey Rees (RH) from Flagstaff, AZ. The Roughriders are currently in the early phase of their spring training and are looking forward to their first spring scrimmage with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (NAIA) on Friday February 24th. The scrimmage will take place at Yavapai College at 5:30 pm. To close their spring training season the Roughriders will welcome the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona University (NCAA DI) and the Lopes of Grand Canyon University (NCAA DI) to Prescott for scrimmages on Saturday April 22nd starting at 10:30 am.